Butler Tarkington's crime spree

Dateline: Mon 11 Jun 2007

The Star reports that a 62-year-old woman was beaten in her home in the 3900 block of Illinois Sunday. The attack was all the more astonishing in that it took place at around 11:30 a.m. The lady had been watering her flowers, came in to answer her phone, and was assaulted while she chatted with a friend.

Thurman Lee, 43, is accused of the crime. He wanted money and took the woman's purse, but not before smashing her on her face, arms and shoulders.

Could the uptick in crime in the B-T area be related to the pea shake at 38th and Capital? No matter that those high on the power food chain dismiss pea shakes as harmless, the truth is these are illegal numbers rackets being run in the city.

I know the counter-argument: the pea shake house has been there for years. But in truth, Butler-Tarkington neighbors more than two years ago called for it to be closed; then councilman Jim Bradford took up the cause and was labored a racist for his trouble.

In a city struggling to get back on its feet, why would the administration tolerate illegal rackets? The answer can only be money.

Another thought: those of us concerned about crime, including the fact that the Southside is burning, should be on the horn and in the face of every elected official. Do not write this off, as some wimps do, to the trickledown of social issues, poverty, drugs, etc. Sure, those are all factors, as the illegal numbers games are. But fighting crime takes a will, as well as an adequately staffed and respected police force.